All Dog Breeds >>Puli
The Puli is an intelligent breed with a sense of humor. They act like puppies for nearly their whole lives. They are active and have lots of energy. They make good jogging companions, and also enjoy hiking, cross country skiing, and camping. They like to spend lots of time outdoors. They love to jump and excel in obedience, rally, and agility competitions. They also do well at herding exercises. In fact, they might try to herd you and your children around the house and yard. They also serve as therapy dogs. These are smart dogs who are easy to train. They want to understand and please their owners. However, if a Puli gets bored, he will get destructive. Sometimes they even chew the hair off their own legs and feet. The Puli is very alert, wary of strangers, and makes a good watchdog. He will warn you if a new car pulls into the drive, if a cat walks across your yard, or if a plastic bag blows onto your property. He is faithful and devoted dog who will insist on becoming a family member. He is family dog, rather than a one person dog. He is an ideal playmate and guardian for children, particularly when he is raised with them. The Puli does not like to be left alone for hours at a time. He would rather help you with activities and come on your outings. He likes to play games and have fun. He is sensitive to people's moods and feelings and shows empathy. However, he will also play tricks on people and can be manipulative to get what he wants. Some owners believe that their Puli is smarter than they are.
Character
Pulik are great family dogs who are devoted to their owners. The Puli should not be around children who like to pester dogs or tease them. A guarding nature makes them untrusting of strangers but not aggressive. This breed gets along with other dogs and loves playing with them. Intelligence makes them easy to teach, but like most smart dogs they can be independent.
Weight
20 – 35 pounds
General Health
The Puli is a healthy dog with no common health problems. They have a life expectancy of 12+ years.
History
The Puli arrived in Hungary thousands of years ago. After their arrival, they were quickly adopted by herders who used the dark-colored breed to work within their flocks while the larger but similarly coated Komondor handled guard duties. While the breed was common, its numbers were greatly reduced after World War II and the Puli was only saved from extinction by careful breeding programs.
Maintenance
Grooming can take some time because of the Puli's unusual coat. At six months of age, the Puli will start forming cords. When this happens, it is important that the hair is separated very often. To separate the cords, use your hand to pull the hair apart starting at the end of the cord and working up to the skin. Some owners shave their coat so they do not have to deal with untangling the cords. However, their coat is not too difficult to handle. Bathing is simple but drying is time consuming. For drying, a hairdryer is recommended because without one the Puli takes two days to dry in comparison to two hours. Exercise is important but easy to accomplish because of the breed's active nature in the house. To release their energy, playing fun games or running in the house is enough for these dogs.
Ideal Environment
The Puli is a sweet dog which works well in many different family environments. Family members will be warmly greeted, but strangers will not be trusted and will be barked at by the Puli. Children who tease and pester dogs should not be around the Puli. Pulik do great with other dogs because they enjoy playing with them. Pulik can live in any climate and do well in an apartment. They are good dogs for elderly people because they require no exercise outside the home. The Puli is not for owners who have no time for grooming, however. This smart, independent, sweet, loving, and all around family dog is great for many homes.
Puli Trainingt
The Puli is intelligent and quite easy to train. He learns new commands quickly at an above average rate.